On Monday, October 20, 2008 at 11:41 PM EST WWE RAW
October 20, 2008
Corpus Christi, TX
Commentators: Michael Cole & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Report by: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
Candice Michelle & Kelly Kelly v. Jillian Hall & Katie Lea Burchill
Jillian sang a bit but got cut off by Kelly and Candice who weren’t feeling the melodies. Kelly took Jillian down with a hip toss and tagged Candice with a cool double team elbow drop for a quick one count. Jillian reversed a whip attempt only for Candice to snap mare her off the top rope.
Candice went for her suspended head scissors before Katie Lea showed up and punted her in the face sending her crashing to the floor. Katie Lea tagged in and slapped on a mean looking abdominal stretch. Katie hit a nasty side back breaker for a two count before tagging in Jillian.
Jillian came into the ring and hit her hand spring elbow for a two count. She whipped Candice, who threw on the breaks, knocked Katie Lea off the ropes and caught Jillian with a head scissors. She hot tagged Kelly who hit a head scissors of her own and a cross body for a two count.
Candice cleaned out the oncoming Katie Lea allowing Kelly to connect with something looking like fam-asser for the three count.
Winners: Kelly & Candice via pin fall
Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler introduced a clip that put over the happenings in the Chris Jericho-Batista issue last week.
****Commercial****
The World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho’s music hit and he came down to the ring. He left the ring and demanded he be introduced as such. He said this was what he was talking about. Lack of respect. He said he was Chris Jericho and the World Champion. He said the disrespect didn’t end with Lillian, it spread like a virus to all the fans and the wrestlers in the back that he led as champion.
He said everyone thinks he’s going to lose his title. He said the list of officials for his match is ridiculous. Randy Orton, HBK and Steve Austin, in his mind, were all jokes. But he wasn’t. He was the man who beat the Rock and Steve Austin in the same night. He beat four other superstars to win this title and destroyed HBK in his own match. He said when he dominated Batista at Cyber Sunday, they’d be forced to respect him.
Batista’s music hit and he came trotting out to the ring. He asked Jericho if he was serious to be out here demanding respect. Batista said you don’t demand respect, you earn it. He said if Jericho beat him at Cyber Sunday (as he laughed) he believed he’d earn a lot of people’s respect. Until then though, he requested that he just shut his mouth because if he didn’t, he’d shut it for him.
The Raw music hit and GM Mike Adamle came out to the ramp. He said they could save it for Cyber Sunday. He said speaking of respect, they’d have to earn it tonight each themselves. They’d have to prove themselves against the same three opponents in a gauntlet match. Jericho slapped Batista just because and walked off.
****Commercial****
JBL came out and started rambling about how it was an injustice to have him compete against some sort of has-been impersonator. He said in uncertain times, he was the only certain thing. The rich become richer and the poor, that would mean us, become poorer.
Suddenly, the glass broke and out comes Stone Cold Steve HAAStin. Good lord.
Charlie Haas v. JBL
Haas hit a Lou Thesz press and a stunner thing before punching like Austin and beating JBL down into the corner. He ducked under a clothesline from hell and then got killed with a big boot. One big clothesline from hell later, this is over.
Winner: JBL via pin fall
JBL said that was the bottom line because he said so.
****Commercial****
Rey Mysterio v. Snitsky
Snitsky immediately gained the advantage with a big boot and a series of elbow drops. He bullied Mysterio to the corner and booted away at his midsection. Snitsky flung Rey to the corner with a whip and went to follow up with a big boot but Rey wiggled out of the way.
A springboard senton and a drop kick to the face floored Snitsky before he hit the head scissors and 619 before hitting a springboard splash for the victory.
Winner: Rey Mysterio via pin fall
****Commercial****
Morrison and Miz are talking about their rights to vote. The Highlights of the nights. More fabulous than the freebirds. They’re not D-Generation… err Geriatric-X.. ARE YOU FIFTY?
Kofi Kingston & CM Punk v. John Morrison & The Miz
Punk grabbed a go behind which Morrison fought out of to get to his partner. Punk and Kingston double teamed the Miz who kicked out at two. Kofi wrapped Miz up in an arm wringer for a little while before uncorking a SUPER drop kick.
Kofi hit some strikes and then tagged in Punk who booted Miz in the stomach before hitting some kicks to the mid-section. All hell broke loose and eventually, we ended up with Punk and Kingston dumping Morrison into Miz’s body on the outside of the ring.
Kingston went for a quick cover only for Miz to kick out. Punk tagged in and the two hit a nifty double team for a two count. Pretty soon though, Miz got a thumb to the eye and some forearms to the face. He rather stupidly whipped Punk to his own corner where Kofi improvised a few shoulder blocks in the corner before missing a follow up. Kofi landed on the second rope but Morrison was able to boot him off the second rope for a newfound advantage.
Morrison tagged in and hit a northern lights suplex for a two count before slapping on the dreaded rear chin lock of doom as we headed to commercial.
****Commercial****
We came back to Morrison and Kofi out on the mat. Miz got a tag and cut Kofi off from his corner, before slapping on another rear chin lock. Miz tagged his partner and they hit their sling shot combo but couldn’t get a cover thanks large in part to CM Punk, who broke up the love fest in the corner.
Kofi tried to fight out of a key lock and eventually succeeded and was fortunate to get a boot to Morrison’s grill and make leaping tag to the former world champion CM Punk in the corner. Punk hit a super running knee-bulldog combo out of the corner before hitting a running power slam for a two count.
It got a little chaotic as Kofi and Miz dispatched of each other. Miz struggled back to the apron and was able to tag Morrison’s back while he was in a go to sleep predicament. Once Punk hit the move, Miz sneaked up from behind and got the roll up for the pin fall.
Winners: The Miz & John Morrison via pin fall
Chris Jericho is talking with Mike Adamle talking about his respect. Mike said Jericho didn’t get it, that he was trying to give him the chance to earn that. The respect of the wrestlers, the fans and most of all, respect for himself.
****Commercial****
Santino Marella is out and he’s got Goldust face pain, Rodney the Piper outfit and Honky hair. He said the career of Goldust has ‘flamed out’. He made fun of Honky Tonk Man calling him a cheap impersonator, a guy who impersonated a guy who died on a toilet.
Hacksaw Jim Duggan doesn’t like all this and it’s time to stick up for old dudes everywhere. They went back and forth and Hacksaw told him confused and called Beth ‘tough guy’. The fun didn’t last long before Santino clubbed him with a guitar Honky Tonk Man style.
His face is pretty busted up…
****Commercial****
Priceless v. Cryme Tyme
Priceless went directly at Cryme Tyme and this isn’t much of a match up. Uh, no match I guess.
****Commercial****
Cole and Lawler ran down the Cyber Sunday Card before Jericho made his way out to the ring for his match.
****Commercial****
Gauntlet Match
Batista & Chris Jericho v. William Regal, Mark Henry & Kane
Batista made quick work of Regal with a spine buster and a Batista bomb. Like just like that. Now I guess Jericho’s supposed to face him? The crowd is TOTALLY lost here. So am I.
Jericho hit’s a code breaker and that’s that.
Mark Henry’s the next guy and he tosses Jericho to the corner after a weak Walls of Jericho attempt. Henry hit a big avalanche before going for the big splash. Jericho rolled out of the way and hit a lion sault for a two count.
What the crap is going on. Jericho’s DQ’d because he hit the guy with a belt shot… I’m totally confused. Henry wins I guess and now Batista hits him with a move and that’s that.
Is there even a scoring system here?
****Commercial****
We’re back and still totally lost. Not as lost as Chris Jericho, who just ate a huge DDT. Kane’s pretty relentless and hammering away on him in the corner. Kane totally decked Jericho whose still going after Kane’s leg I guess… Kane reverses a walls of Jericho attempt and is basically flinging Jericho off at all points.
Jericho knocked Kane onto the top rope and tried a super plex, but Kane ain’t going anywhere. After some punches to the stomach, Jericho sails back down to the mat and quickly eats a flying lariat to the face for a SUPER close two count.
Kane’s loading up the choke slam but Jericho fights out. Jericho botches the bump to the outside and now Batista’s chasing him to the ring. Kane went for suplex but Jericho wiggled out and went into the ropes. He came bounding off only to eat a HUGE Kane big boot and that’s all she wrote for Jericho.
Batista came in, hit one spear and won his match.
WTF just happened.
Winner: Absolutely no oneRAW THOUGHTSShow Thoughts-- Holy Smokes, this Raw was probably the worst of the year, hands down and then some.
From the get go, the production was absolutely terrible. The times they cut to commercial, the times when certain talents were at, the times during breaks in the middle of matches, the actual match ideas… the segments were awkward and choppy. Frankly, for all it’s shortcomings over the years, the one area the WWE NEVER drops the ball on is in the area of production, but tonight was just absolutely amateur and second rate. Jericho was out at 9:15, The CM Punk/Miz Morrison match was on at the usually high ratings 10pm time slot, the Divas opened the show.. Just so weird. It just made an already bad show worse.
Now onto the wrestling, which there wasn’t too much of. In fact, there wasn’t much storyline development either, which is kind of a shame considering a pay per view is right around the corner, like as in six days. Nothing in the Kane-Rey feud. Nothing to progress Santino v. the AARP I guess other than the fact he mocked them.
And Jericho-Batista… great promo to lead things off but if ANYONE understood what was going on in the gauntlet match, I’ll give ya a cookie. No flow, Batista winning with one move, the announcers being lost, Adamle not delivering at all on que, the wrestlers seemingly lost, the official being TOTALLY lost and worst of all, as DEAD a crowd for a main event match as I’ve heard all year.
Snitsky might have put on the worst showing of the year for one individual in a single match this year and I was totally baffled by the Priceless beat down on Cryme Tyme for the heck of it.
Did I mention -- No Randy Orton. No Shawn Michaels. Just weird.
The matches were BRUTALLY bad. The segments were amateur and the production was the worst I may have ever seen on a WWE broadcast. You know, sometimes, there’s just nothing you can do. You’re going to bomb shows on occasion, you’re going to knock it out of the park on occasion. This one though, is a total bomb. First one of the year. Not a single angle really furthered for the better, nothing of note happening and the overall delivery and presentation was a disaster. Can’t win em all.
Overall Grade: F
Quick Results
Candice & Kelly def. Jillian & Katie Lea
JBL def. Charlie Haas
Rey Mysterio def. Snitsky
The Miz & Morrison def. CM Punk & Kofi Kingston
Batista won a Gauntlet match
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. Batista
2. CM Punk
3. Rey Mysterio
4. Cryme Tyme
Most Heat
1. Chris Jericho
2. JBL
3. Miz & Morrison
4. Santino Marella
Match of the Night: Candice/Kelly v. Jillian/Katie Lea *1/4
Power RankingsPoints= Title Win
4 Points= World Title defense/win
3 Points= Singles PPV Win
2 Points= Tag PPV Win
2 Points= TV Singles Win
1 Point= TV Tag Win
0 Points= Loss
World Heavyweight Champion: Chris Jericho 19-17-1, 45 pts. (Last Week: World Heavyweight Champion)-- Don’t even know what to say. He had a strong week on the mic at least, but who knows what was going on in that gauntlet match.
Intercontinental Champion: Santino Marella 12-11, 19 points (Last Week: Intercontinental Champion) -- This kid is such a great pip squeak heel and seems to be able to run up and down anyone. One of the few bright spots of the night.
1. Batista 10-6-3, 23 Points (Last Week: 1) -- Well they put him over pretty big for the title match, but I think they over sold the fact that he’s probably not winning. They’ve GOT to stop this formula of the guy who wins was the guy who got punked out on TV last week.
2. Shawn Michaels 19-6-2, 26pts. (Last Week: 2) -- Not in action. In Texas no less.
3. Kane 7-8, 11 Points (Last Week: 3) -- For what we saw of him, it was pretty decent action, especially with Jericho, but doesn’t it suck pretty hard that this guy doesn’t get to punctuate his program with Rey this week?
4. CM Punk 9-7-2, 25 Points (Last Week: 4) -- It’s hard to figure out how the WWE feels about this kid. One week, he’s in some burial time slot, not being given a whole lot. The next week, he’s on at the top of the hour.
5. JBL 18-24, 32 points (Last Week: 5)- - A successful, but utterly unproductive week for the big Texan.
6. Ted Dibiase, Jr. 9-4, 19 Points (Last Week: 6) -- They showed up, beat up Cryme Tyme and posed I guess. Good I guess?
7. Cody Rhodes 13-10, 21 points (Last Week: 7) -- See Dibiase.
8. Rey Mysterio 4-5, 9 Points (Last Week: 8) -- Rey’s lucky Snitsky didn’t kill him missing the catch on the flying head scissors. So a win is good, living is better.
9. William Regal, 5-6, 13 points (Last Week: 9) -- SQUASHED.
10. Kofi Kingston 7-8, 17 points (Last Week: 10) -- It’s a shame they’re not showcasing this kid more. He’s a lot of fun every week. Pretty tame week from him this week and since losing the IC title, has been in free fall. Somehow though, everyone behind him manages to find a way to suck JUUST that much more.
OTHERS:
John Cena 19-13, 34 points. (Last Week: NR)
Randy Orton 10-9-2, 20pts. (Last Week: NR)
Paul Burchill 5-5, 7 points (Last Week: NR)
JTG 6-6, 8 points (Last Week: NR)
Big Shaad 6-5, 7 points (Last Week: NR)
Paul London 3-6, 3 points(Last Week: NR)
Lance Cade 3-7, 5 points (Last Week: NR)
Jamie Noble 2-5, 4 Points (Last Week: NR)
Primo Colon 1-0, 2 Points (Last Week: NR)
D-Lo Brown 2-2, 4 points (Last Week: NR)
Snitsky 2-6, 3 points (Last Week: NR)
Manu 2-0, 2 Points (Last Week: NR)
Charlie Haas 2-4, 4 points (Last Week: NR)
Deuce 0-2, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Chuck Palumbo 0-0, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Matt Striker 0-1, 0 Points (Last Week: NR)
Jerry Lawler 0-2, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Jim Duggan 0-2, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Rory 0-2, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Robbie 0-3, 0 points (Last Week: NR)
Mick Foley 1-0, 1 point (Last Week: NR)
Sgt. Slaughter 0-0. 0 pts. (Last Week: NR)
Val Venis 0-1 0pts. (Last Week: NR)